CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN WALL PAINTING FRAGMENT
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
6 ¼ in. (16 cm.) wide

Provenance

with Galerie Serodine, Ascona.
Christian von Faber-Castell collection, Kusnacht ZH, Switzerland, acquired from the above in January 1998.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Laetitia Delaloye

ldelaloye@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3018

Lot Essay

This fragment shows a scene from a Geranomachy, the eternal fight between pygmies and cranes. The subject is mentioned by Homer in the Iliad 3, 3-7, which fired the imagination of many Greek artists, cf. LIMC VII, 1994, pp. 595-597, nos 1-34, esp. no. 23 (V. Dasen). For pygmies in Roman wall-paintings, see H. Mielsch, Römische Wandmalerei, Darmstadt, 2001, pp. 185 ff.

More from Antiquities

View All